Printing-machine.



I 'PATENTED MAY 3, 1904,

. ,G.F.READ.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEEP 2 1, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

, NEH H No. 758,690. PATENTBD MAY 3,1904.-

G. 11 READ. PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED r1113. 21, 1903. no MODEL. '4 snnnrs-snnm 2.

No. 758,690. I PATEN' IED MAY 3, 1904.

' G.F.RBAD.'

. PRI N-TING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION I'ILBD FEB, 21, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

fATENTBD MAY 3', 1964.

G. P. READ. PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION I'IL 1;]; FEB. 21, 1903.

m: uonms PUERS co momuma, WASHINGTON. n. c,

. that it can deliver different kinds 'of products.

GEORGE F. READ, or NEW UNI ED STATES fPatented. May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFIC PRlNTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No .-758,690, dated May 3, 1904.

I Application filed February 21, 1903. Serial No- ].44,396. (No model.) v v I 1'0 an whom itmay cmicern:

Be it known thatLGEQR E F. READ,a citizen; of the United States, residing at New York,-

county of Kings. and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Machines, fully described and repments in associating and delivery mechanisms for printing-machines.

In the printing of certain kinds of publications, and particularly in magazine-work, it is desirable that the machine be so constructed .On account of the conditions governing the action of alongitudinal folder.

sale of magazines or similar publications and to prevent whatis known as resale, it is'.

desirable that the pages of the magazine whichform the body and contain the reading matter be connected either at the top' or sides. Or-Z dinarily in magazine-work and similar publi-- cations the signatures consist of sixteen pages, eight of these pages being inserted and folded within the other eight, with thelongitudinali folds coinciding. Such signatures are usually produced by subjecting associated webs to the Where, how: ever, the pages of the magazine contain heavily-inked cuts, it is desirable to avoid, so far as possible, passing the associatedwebs over" on the heavy cuts on one web is liable to offset to the adjoining web. When, therefore, certain pages of the magazine are to contain heavy cuts, it is preferable to subject the Webs containing these pages separately to the action of thelongitudinal-folding devices and to thereafter assemble the folded product so that the longitudinal folds produced in the webs instead of coinciding will when the webs are brought together he alongside each other. This method instead of producing sixteen pages consisting of eight pages inserted and folded within the other eight by longitudinal folds which coincide will produce sixteen pages in which eight pages are formed by one longitudinal fold and eight pages formed by another longitudinal fold, the longitudinal foldslying alongside each otherwhen the webs are brought together. Advertisers, however, insist that the advertising pages of the magazine or similar publication shall not to be connected at the fold-line, but shall be separated, so that theycan be readilyinspected. It follows, therefore, that in printing the ordinary magazine the machine should be arranged so at to produce products consisting of sixteen pages folded and connected as .above indicatedthat is, with the longitudinal-fold lines coincidingand also products of sixteen pages folded, as above indicated, with their longitudinal-fold lines lying alongside each other, and products in which the'pages are not connected at their outer edges. It is also desirable in order to facilitate the removal of packs of assembled sheets, whether the same be folded together or not, to deliver successive packs at separate. points. When, therefore, the forms of the machine are arranged so that packs of sheets are produced which contain different subjects-matter, it is possible to'deliver the packs which contain the diflerent subjectsmatter at different points. if the packs containing the same subject-matter be delivered at different points, successive packs can be spaced out slightly, so that it is easier to rein'ove them, and congestion at the different delivery-points is avoided. longitudinal-folding devices, because-the ink It is one of the objectscof this invention to produce an improved associatingand delivery -1ii'e'chan1sm for printing-machines n, which mechanisms are PIOVldGd for producing dif' ferentkinds of product with respectto the arrangement of the pages of the publication which is being printed. a:

A further object of the invention is to produce an improved delivery mechanism, by

which successive-packs of sheets may be delivered at different points.

A further object of the invention to generally improve certain features of construction of printing-machine deliveries. V

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements, and combinations, as will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustrating the various sets of turner-bars which may be employed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction by which the adjustments of the folders and cooperating rolls may be had. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the sheet forwarding and delivery cylinders.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one complete embodiment of the invention, the frame of the machine, which may be of any usual character, is marked 1. The web, which is marked W, may be printed on any desired kind of printing-machine and from anydesired arrangement of forms. The mechanism which forms the subject of this invention is, however, particularly well adapted for use in fast rotary printing-machines, and the forms will preferably be arranged with the columns parallel to the axis of the cylinder. This mechanism is also well adapted for use with machines in which the cylinders carry thirty-two forms, the forms being arranged in rows of four across the cylinder, with the columns, as before stated, parallel to the axis of the cylinder, although any desired number and arrangement of forms may be used.

In the construction illustrated the web having four printed pages abreast is advanced and is subjected to the action of a slitting mechanism, which may be located at any suitable point in the machine. As shown, this slitting mechanism consists of wheels 2, and in the machine selected to illustrate the invention three such wheels are employed. These wheels 2 are mounted on arms 3, carried on a crossrod 4, supported in standards 5, rising from the frame of the machine. The usual roll 6 for cooperating with the slitters is provided,.

said roll being driven by a pair'of miter-gears 7 8, the gear 7 being mounted on the shaft of the roll 6 and the gear 8 on a longitudinallyarranged shaft 9, which is supported in brackets 10 and 11, the bracket 10 being supported on the standard 5 and the bracket 11 being mounted on the frame. The driving mechanism for this shaft 9 will be hereinafter described, and it may be here remarked that the slitting mechanism in itself is of a well-known form and that any other suitable form of'slitter may be substituted therefor, if desired.

The machine shown is constructed to produce a variety of products, which will be varied aecordingto the character of the matter contained in the printed pages, and the number of slitters will be variedaecording to the (lirinds of products which it is desired to prouce.

In the preferred form-of the construction the machine will be provided with two sets of longitudinal-folding devices, which may be of any desired description. Preferably, however, these folding devices will consist of the ordinary longitudinal folders, said folders being marked 12 and 13 in the drawings. As shown, these folders consist of triangularlyarranged bars, the sets of bars being secured to plates 14, which are supported on pairs of arms 15, which are pivoted on a cross-rod 16, which is in turn supported in suitable ears 17 on a standard 18. Cooperating with the folder 12 is the usual pair of nipping-rolls 19, and cooperating with the folder 13 is a similar pair of nipping-rolls 20. Above the longitudinal folders there is located the usual guide-roll 21, said roll being mounted on a shaft 22 and provided with a miter-gear 23, which is in mesh with asimilar gear 23,mounted on the shaft 9, before referred to. When both longitudinal folders are employed, the webs after being subjected to the action of these folding devices are brought together, this being accomplished in the construction shown by a pair of guiding and drawing-off rolls 24, said rolls being shown as located, as is usual, below the longitudinal folders.

In the preferred construction devices will be provided to adjust the longitudinal-folding devices to the margin of the webs being printed. The adjusting devices may be of any desired construction. As shown, however, the standard 18 is mounted on a carriage which consists of side rails 25 and end rails 25'. This carriage rests upon two cross-rails 26, which are connected by end rails 26, these crossrails and end rails in reality forming a part of the frame of the machine. This carriage is also provided with suitable bearings 27, in

which the rolls 19 are mounted, and suitable bearings 28, in which the rolls 20 are mounted. It may be here remarked that the standard 18 also supports a pair of adjustable steadying- .rods 29, by which the angle of the folders is determined and by which the folders are securely held in position. The shafts of the rolls 19 are provided with a pair of intermeshing gears 30, and the shafts of the rolls 20 are provided with a similar pair of gears 31. Between these pairs of gears 30 and 31 are driving-gears 32 and 33, mounted on studs 34, supported in a cross-bar 35, which forms a crossweb for the standard 18. With the construction described when it is desired to adjust the folders the carriage 25 is given an endwise movement, which may be accomplished by any suitable means. As shown, one of the end bars 25 of the carriage supports a screw-shaft 36, which is provided with a hand-wheel 37, this screw-shaft being in engagement with a nut 38, (see dotted lines in Fig. 1,) said nut being mounted on a bracket 39, which is carried on one of the end bars 26. It will be seen, therefore, that by turning the handwheel the carriage, the folders, the drawingrolls, and driving devices can be shifted with 'relation to the run of the web so as to bring the folders into proper relation to the in argins. g

It is also desirable that the guiding and drawing-01f rolls 24, be capable of being ad- 'justed to bring the webs which cometogether 43, formed on the crossbars or rails 26, so that the carriage may he. slid onthe rails to adjust the position of the rolls 2 4. The movement of the carriage may be elfected in any desired way; but in' the constructionshown there is provided a screw-shaft 44, which worksflin a threaded opening in one of the bars 42. This shaft is'supported in one of the bars26' and is provided with a hand-wheell45, by which the adjustment can bev made. V 1 i The means for cutting the sheets from the webs and for delivering the sheets maynbe of any suitablelcharacter. As shown, thismechanismincludes a pair of forwarding-cylinders 46 47, which in the construction shown carry the cutting devices, although the cutting devices may be otherwise mounted. In the preferred form of the construction and as shown there will be four sets of cutting devices, which may be variously arranged upon the cylinders when they are mounted upon the cylinders. In the construction shown vthe cylindern46 is provided-with knives and knife blocks 48 and 49 and-, wi'th, cutting-blocks 50 and 51, and the cylinder 47 is provided .with two cutting-blocks 52 and 53 and two knives and kHlfBrblQCkS 54 and 55', the cutting-blocks 52 and 53 being arrangedfto cooperate with printed matter will form four signatures or packs vof sheets, each consisting of sixteen pages, anoLthat each pack of sixteen pages will contain different,subject-matter. In such a case itis desirable toj'deliver thepacks containing thesamesubject-matter at the same point, so that the signatures may be readily assembled by taking apack from each points, ,Furthermore, even when the packs of sheets do not contain .different subject-matter it is desirable, undercertain circumstances to deliver the packs atdifferent points, especially where the product is being very rapidly delivered, thus 70,*71, 72,1and 73.

rendering it easier to remove the packs and" avoiding congestion at the different points.

In the present construction provision .is made for delivering the products at four points, one half the product or packs of sheets cutfrom the webs being taken by the cylinder 46 and the other half being taken by the cylinder 47 It follows, therefore, that in the present arrangement each cylinder must beprovided with two sets of sheet-taking devices. These devices may be of anydesired construction. As shown, the cylinder 46 is provided with two sets of side grippers 56 and 57, and the cylinder 47 is provided with two similar sets of grippers 58 and 59. Itis of course .to

be understood that any other grippers or pins might be used instead of the side grippers; but when side grippers are used they may be operated by any desired mechanism. The grippers shown are alike in their construction and operation, sothat a description of one of them will suflice for all. Referring tothe gripper 58, for instance, it consists of a small bellcrank pivoted at 60, one of the arms of the bell-crank forming the gripper-finger proper and the other aim being connected by a link 61 to an operating-lever 62, which is pivoted on a stud 63, locatedon. the end of thecylinder. The gripper is opened by .means of a cam 64,, SuitabIy located on the frame of .the machine, the cam operating on a' bowl 65, mounted on one end of the lever 62.

'The sheets on the cylinders 46 and 47 might I be delivered flat, if desired; but when they are to be-folded ofl, since each cylinder is to take two packsof sheets, a folding-off device will be provided for each set of grippers, which may be of any suitable, construction. As shown, the folding-off devices consist of tucking-blades 66, 67, 68, and69. These blades are 'o.f a construction well-known in the artand are operated in the usual manner, so that a description of them is unnecessary. V c The devices for receiving the folded sheets from thecylinders' 46Jand 47 maybe of any suitable description. As shown, there are provided four sheet receiving cylinders 70, ,71,

'72, and 73. These cylinders are mounted on suitable shaftssupported inthe frame' The cylinders 7 O and 71 take the folded sheets from cylinders 70, 71, 72, and 73 is provided with a suitable means for taking the folded'shet. As

shown, these sheet-taking means consist of nipper-jaws 74, 7 5,7 6,- and77. The nipperjaws illustrated. are of an ordinary type wellknown inthe art, and aspecific description of them is unnecessary.

. Any suitable means may be provided for Suitable stripping devices 82, 83, 84, and 85 may, if desired, be employed with the cylinders 70, 71, 72 and 73 to insure certain delivery of the folded sheets from the cylinders.

The gearing for driving the several parts may be of any desired type. As shown, the power-shaft of the machine, (see Fig. 1,)which is marked 86, drives through a train of gears (indicated in dotted lines in this figure) to the cylinder 47. The cylinders 46 and 47 are provided with intermeshing gears. (Not shown.) The shaft of the cylinder 46 is provided with a gear the pitch-line of which is indicated at 87, said gear drivingan intermediate 88. (Indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The shafts of the rolls 24 are provided with intermeshing gears 89, and one of these gears meshes with a gear 90, which drives the gear 32, before referred to, these gears being part of the train by which the drawing-off rolls 19 and 20 are driven. It has been heretofore stated that the shafts of the cylinders 46 and 47 are provided with intermeshing gears. (Not shown.) The gear on the cylinder 46 drives the gears of a train, (marked 91,) which is located on the side of the machine, the upper gear of this train meshing with and driving a gear 91', which is located on the shaft 9, before referred to.

While the gearing which has been described is a convenient gearing, it is to be understood that any other desired arrangement may be employed for driving the several parts of the machine.

The incoming webs will be led in different ways, according to the product which is being printed in the machine. Assuming that it is desired to deliver a product consisting of sixteen sheets made up of two sets of eight sheets with their fold-lines adjacent and parallel, the two outside slitters 2 will be thrown out of action, and the web will be slit by the middle slitter 2. It will then be led by means of suitable guidessuch, for instance, as the guides marked 92 and 93- to the roll 21, which is located above the longitudinal folders. From this roll each half of the web passes over itsown folder and between the pairs of nipping-rolls coacting with its folder, after which the two halves of the web are brought together by means of the guiding and drawing-off rolls 24, from which point the assembled webs pass to the forward ing-cylinders 46 and 47. The first two sets of sheets will be taken by the grippers on the cylinder 46, and one of the sets will be taken by the delivery-cylinder and .the other by the delivery-cylinder 71. The packs of sheets on these cylinders are then delivered to the traveling tapes 78 and 79. The next two sets of sheets will be taken by the grippers on the forwarding-cylinder 47 and will be delivered by its delivery-cylinders to the tapes and 81.

Assuming that it is desired to deliver products of eight sheets folded together, but not connected at the top or sidesas, for instance,

when the advertising-sheets of a magazine are being printed-all the slitters will be brought guide 95, which is mounted on the top of the.

machine-frame. From this point in a machine embodying the preferred construction two of the parts of the web will be sent over turnerbars 96 and 97 to guides 98 and 99, and the other two parts of the web will be sent over turner-bars 100 and 101 to guides 102 and 103. These turner-bars operate to superpose the webs in the usual manner. From the guides 98 99 the webs may be led by any suitable arrangement of guides to a point where the four ribbons or parts will be associated. Two guides 104 105 are shown as located below the guides 98 and 99, and two guides 106 and 107 are shown as located below the guides 102 103. These guides are mounted in a usual manner, and the construction need not be specifically described. From these guides in the preferred form of the construction the parts of the web which pass over the guides 98 99 are led between the nipping-rolls 20 for the folder 13 and thence'to the drawing-off rollers 24, the webs which pass over the guides 102 103 being led through the nipping-rolls l9 and thence to the rolls 24. The four parts of the web will be associated by the rolls 24 and will pass to the cylinders 46 47, which operate in the manner before described, and these cylinders, together with their cooperating mechanism, deliver thesheets in packs of eight sheets or sixteen pages folded together, but not connected at the top or sides.

Assuming that it is desired to deliver products of sixteen pages, consisting of two eightpage sheets, one of which is folded within theother and the fold-lines coinciding, the two.

outer slitters will be thrown out of operation,

After leaving the vide the web into two parts. One of the parts of the web after being slit may be led beneath the guides 92 93, before described, and the other part of the web may be led down and under a guide 108, (see dotted lines in Fig. 3,) which is located beneath the slitting mechanism. From this guide 108 the part of the web referred to will be led over turner-bars 109 110, by which it is directed under the other part of the web, which, as before said, has been led directly under the guides 92 93. The two parts of the web are associated as they pass under the guide 93 and thus associated are led over the roller 21 and over the folder 12, which imparts a longitudinal fold to them. From this point they are led, by means of the nipping-rollers 19 and the drawing-off rollers 24, to the cylinders 46 and 47 and are disposed of by these cylinders and their connected mechanism in the manner before described.

While the construction shown illustrates a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that changesand variations may be made in the construction by which the invention is carried into effect. The invention is not, therefore, to be limited to the specific construction hereinbefore described.

What I claim is 1. The combination withmeans for advancinga web, of means for dividing the web into two or four parts, a pair of longitudinal fold ers to which the web is led when it is divided into two parts, means for bringing together the parts of the web when it is divided into four parts, and sheet cutting and delivery mechanism, substantially as described.

'2. The combinationwith means for advancing a web, of means for dividing the web into two or four parts, a pair of longitudinal folders to which the parts of the web are led when it is divided into two parts, means for associating two parts of the web with the other,

two parts'when it is divided into four parts and for bringingtogether the webs thus associated, and sheet cutting and delivery mechanism, substantially as described;

3. The combination with means for advancing a web, of means for dividing the web into two or four parts, means for associating one part of the web with the other part when it is divided into two parts, a longitudinal folder,

means for bringing together the parts of the web when it is divided into four parts, and sheet cutting and delivery mechanism, substantially as described. 7

4. The combination with means for advancing a web, of means for dividing the web into two or four parts, means for associating one partof the web with the other part when it is divided into two parts, a longitudinal folder to which the associated parts of the web are led, means for associating two of the parts of the, web with the other two parts when it is divided into four parts, means for bringing together four parts, a pair of longitudinal folders,means whereby each part of the web when it is di-' vided into two parts may be led to a different folder or the two parts may be associated and led to one folder, means for bringing together the parts of'the web when it is divided into four parts, and sheet cutting and delivery mechanism, substantially as described.

6. The combination with means for advancing a web, of means for dividing it into two or four parts, a pair of longitudinal folders,

means wherebyeach part of the web when it is divided into two parts may be led to a different folder or the two parts may be associated and led to one folder, means for associating two of the parts of the web with the other twoparts when it is cut into four parts, means for bringing together the associated parts of the web, and sheet cutting and delivery mechanism, substantially as described.

7 The combination with a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders each having a plurality of retaining devices, means for operat:

ing the retaining devices so thatia partof the product passing between the cylinderswill be;

taken by the retaining devices on one cylinder and the remainder of the product will be taken by the retaining devices on the othercylinder, and anindependent product-receiving device for each retaining device, substantially as described. 7

I 8. The combination with a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders each having a'plurality of retaining devices and cutting devices, means for operating the retaining devices so that part of the sheets cut from the web fed to the cylinders will be taken'by theretaining devices on one cylinder and the remainder of the sheets will be taken by the retaining devices on the. other cylinder, and an' inde-' pendent product-receiving device for each re taining device, substantially as described.

9. The combination with-a pair of cooper ating forwarding-cylinders each having a plural-ity of retaining devices, a plurality of folding-ofl' devices and suitable cutting devices, of

means for operating'the retaining devices so that part of the sheets cut from a web fed to the cylinders will be taken by the retaining devices on one cylinder and the remainder of the sheets will be taken by the retaining devices on the other cylinder, means for operating the folding-ofi' devices, and a sheet-receiving device for each sheet-retaining device into which the sheets are folded by the folding devices, substantially as described.

' 10. The combination with means for advancin'g a web, of means for dividing the web into two orfour parts, a pair of longitudinal ITO folders towhich the web is led when itis divided intotwo parts, means for bringing together the parts of the web when it is divided into four parts, and a single delivery mechanism to which either product may be led,sub stantially as described.

1 1. The combination with devices for giving two separate webs a longitudinal fold, of means whereby each web may be led to a folding device, or whereby the webs may be associated and led to one of said devices, a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders, devices for severing the webs into sheets, retaining devices on each of the forwarding-cylinders, means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the sheets passing between the cylinders, and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the sheets, and independent sheet-receiving means for each cylinder, substantially as described.

12. The combination with means for dividing a web into two or four parts, of longitudinal folding devices, means whereby the two parts of the web, when it is divided into two parts, may be associated and led to one of said folding devices, or whereby each of said parts may be led separately to a folding device, a'pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders, means for leading the web from one or both of said folding devices to said forwarding-cylinders, means for leading the web when it is divided into four parts to said forwardingcylinders, sheetsevering devices, retaining devices on each of the forwarding-cylinders, means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the sheets passing between the cylinders, and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the sheets, and independent sheet-receiving means for each cylinder, substantially as described.

13. The combination with means for dividing a web into either two or four parts,of longitudinal folding devices, means whereby the two parts of the web, when it is divided into two parts, may be associated and led to one of said folding devices, or whereby each of said parts may be led separately to a folding device, a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders, means for associating two parts of the web when it is divided into four parts with the other two parts, means for leading the web from one or both of the folding devices to the forwarding-cylinders, means for leading the web when divided into four parts to said cylinders, sheet-severing devices, retaining devices on each of the forwarding-cylinders, means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the sheets passing between the cylinders, and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the sheets, and independent sheet-receiving means for each cylinder, substantially as described.

14. The combination with means for dividing a web into two or four parts, of a pair of longitudinal folders, means for directing the parts of the web when it is divided into two parts to said folders, turner-bars whereby the two parts of the web may be associated and led to one of the folders, sets of turner-bars for associating two parts of the web withthe other two parts when it is divided into four parts, a pair of forwarding-cy'lindersto which the webs are led from the folders or' the turner-bars, sheet-severing devices, retaining devices on each of the forwarding-cylinders, means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the sheets passing between the cylinders, and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the sheets, and independent sheet-receiving means for each cylinder, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders, each having a plurality of sheet-retaining devices, of means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the product passing between the cylinders and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the product, and two delivery-cylinders for each forwardingcylinder, one cylinder receiving the product held by one of said sheet-retaining devices and the other receiving the product held by the other of said sheet-retaining devices, substantially as described.

16. The combination with 'a pair of cooperating forwarding-cylinders, each havinga plurality of sheet-retaining devices, of means for operating said devices so that those on one cylinder take a part of the product passing between the cylinder and those on the other cylinder take the remainder of the product, two sets of folding-off devices on'each forwarding-cylinder, two sheet-receiving cylinders cooperating with each forwarding-cylinder, one of said sheet-receiving cylinders receiving the product from one set of folding devices and the other from the other setof folding devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. READ.

Witnesses:

F. W. H. CRANE, EDWARD (J. WEISSMAN. 

